Pressure regulating valve



May 26, 1931. BLINN 1,807,564

PRESSURE REGULATING VALVE} Filed Nov. 18, 1927 25 I 59 FIG. I.

1 TNESSES 25 I MENTOR:

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Patented May 26, 1931 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE- HARRY H.,BLINN, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOB 1'0 DOUGHNU'I. mom CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.', A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK PRESSURE REGULATING VALVE Application filed November 18, 1927. Serial No; 23l,278.

This invention relates to valves of a type useful in maintaining by relief, or bleeding action a constant or e ualized static pressure in fluid systems emp oying a continuouslyoperating compressor or pump.

More particularly in instances where air is used as the pressure medium, for example, in apparatus for forming articles such as confections or pastries from plastic material, great difiicult has been experienced in maintaining, by b ceding action, the desired degree of static pressure for expulsion of the plastic material through forming dies with assurance of uniformity in the size of the product. This has been due to lack of delicacy in the operation of the pressure regulating valves, i. e., failure of the valve closures to respond properly to the pulsations of the pump and to close accurately upon their seats.

The object of my invention is to overcome the deficiencies above pointed out through provision of a pressure regulating valve in which the closure member is accorded abso- 2 lute freedom of lateral action in accurately seeking its seat notwithstanding subjection from above to regulatable yielding means tending to resist its opening.

In the drawings herewith, Fig. I is a diarammatic illustration of an a aratus for orming doughnuts with the 9.1 of an air pressure system in connection with which the valve of my invention is advantageously emplriyable.

' ig. II is an axial sectional view of the valve on a larger scale and, a

Fig. III is a transverse section, taken as indicated by the arrows IIIIII in Fig. II. Referring1 first more particularly to the apparatus s own in Fig. I of these illustrations, 10 designates a receptacle which contains dou h subject to air pressure from above, sai container having at its bottom a die mechanism 11 of suitable design to fashion and release annular formations, such as doughnuts, incidentally to operation through a lever 12 adapted to be engaged by projections 13 on progressing vanes 14 movin in cooking liquor 15. The container 5 10 is c osed at the top by a lid 15 which is secured thereon b a yoke clamplfi in air-' ti ht relation. e air above the den h within the container 10 is maintained un er pressure by a continuousl operating pump 17 discharging into a t 18. The piping 19 leading from the tank 18 has interposed in 1t, a pressure gauge 20 as well as a shut-ofi valve 21, the n pple 22 of which is connected, by a flexible hose 23, to a similannipple 24 projecting from thelid 15 of the receptacle 10. The valve with which my invention is more particularly concerned is shown at 25 in Fig. I, and, as hereinafter fully explained,

is regulatable to permit release, in synchronism with the pulsations of the pump 17, of a certain amount of air from the system so that a constant static pressure is maintained 1n the tank 10 to force a definite unvarying amount of dough through the die mechanism 11 at the bottom.

With reference now in-detail to Figs. II and III, it will be observed that the valve 25 com rises a casin 26 which is enerally cylindric in form. t its lower end the easing 26 is internally threaded as at 27 to recelve a removable tubular bushing 28 which provides the valve seat 29. As shown the reduced de ending portion of the bushing 28 is threade as at 30 for connection into the piping 19 of the air system embodied in the apparatus ofFig. I. With the seat 29 cooperates a valve closure 32 having, in the present instance, the form of a ball, the same occu ying a chamber 33 set apart in the lower portion of the valve casing 26.

The means to resist openm of the valve 82 includes a pressure-influence member in the form of a plun er 34 having a tubular body closed at the ottom by a plug, 35, said plunger enga 'ng the bore of the casing 26 with a good s idin fit so as to be confined to axial movement re ative to the valve seat 29. For permanent retainment, the plug 35 is provided with a circumferential groove into which the metal of the tubular body1 of the lun er 34 is displaced, as. clearly s own in ig. I. A light helical compression spring 36 made of comparatively fine wire is disposed within the hollow-of the plunger 84 with provision of slight clearance thereabout so as to be constrained a ainst sidewise flexure in accommodating t a use and fall of the valve closure ball 32. At its uper end the spring 36 abuts a follower 38 fitting within the bore of the plunger 34. The iorce of the spring 36 is regulatable by means of a hand screw 37 whereof the end of the shank is rounded as shown in Fig. II and en ages a concaved depression 39 of larger ra ius in the top of the follower 38, at one point only. This arran ement, it will be seen, avoids imposition o bindin restraint upon the plunger 34. The screw 3 has bearing in a cap gnece 40 which is threaded into the u per en of the valve casing 26; and a thum nut 41 is provided to fix the screw 37 in adjusted positions, said thumb nut clampin against the top ofthe" cap piece 40.

In operation of the valve when pressure is exerte through action of the pump 17 u on the 'ball 32 from beneath, the atter toget er with the lunger 34 will be lifted against the force of t e s ring 36 in said plunger and attended by ex aust or bleeding of air into the chamber 33 and fromthence to the atmosphere through a series of exhaust ports 42 in the lower part of the valve casing 26. Now

by virtue of its havin but a single oint rolling contact with the bottom face 0 the plug 35, of the plunger 34, the ball 32 is obviously free to accurately seek its seat 29 after having been raised, as 'ust described, notwithstanding its subjection to the action of the spring 36 from above. As a consequence of t e precise co-o eration of the ball 32 with its seat 29, it wil be seen that undesired leakage is prevented so that a constant working pressure is, at all times, maintained in the system through release only of excess air inected b the pump 17 the working pressure eing etermlnable through regulation of the sprin 36, by means of the hand screw 37, under ai of the gauge 20 of Fig. I. By constructing the valve 25 as herein set forth, it will be apparent that the difliculties resulting from mal-operation due to inaccurate machining of arts is entirely eliminated.

Although I have described the valve 25 of my invention as being particularly advantageous in connection with apparatus for forming doughnuts, it is to be expressly understood that the same may be used with correspondin advantages in other instances where delicate regulation is required especially when working with comparatively low pressures.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim:

1. A valve of the character described embodying a casing; a closure ball co-operating with a seat afforded by a removable bushin in one end of the casing; said closure bal occupying a chamber set a art in the casing with provision accommo ating bleed ex- 05 haust; a hollow cylindric pressure member with an interfitting follower, said-member bemg confined to movement axially of the valve seat and having a closed end in sin le point rolling contact with the ball where y the latter is accorded absolute freedom of lateral action in accurately seeking its seat; a resistorspring within the hollow of the pressure member intermediate the closed end and follower serving to constantly resist valve opening; and means having sin le point bearing contact with the follower or regulating the force exerted b the spring.

2. A valve of the character escribed embodying a casing' a closure ball co-operating with a seat a orded by a removable tubular bushing fitted into one end of the easing; said closure ball occupying a chamber set apart in the casing, and said chamber havin a series of bleed outlets' a hollow cylin ric pressure member including an interfitting follower, said member belng confined to axial movement relative to the valve seat and having a closed end in single point rolling contact with the ball whereby the latter is accorded absolute freedom of lateral action in accurately seeking its seat, a resistor s ring within the hollow of the ressure mem r intermediate the closed en and follower aforesaid, and an adjusting screw with point contact on the aforesaid pressure member follower in the valve casing to regulate the force of the resistor spring.

3. A valve of the character described embodying a casing; a closure ball co-operating with a seat afforded by a removable tutact with the ball whereby the latter is accorded absolute freedom of lateral action in accurately seeking its seat, a resistor spring 1w within the hollow of the pressure member,

a freely fitting follower within the hollow member aforesaid and servin as an abutment for the spring, and an a justing screw with bearin in the valve casing to re late the force 0 the spring, the shank 0 said screw being in single point contact with said follower.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at New York city, New York, this first day of November, 1927.

HARRY M. BLINN.

III 

